Button feeding attachment for sewing machine



April 5, 1960 N. o. BRODERSON 2,931,327

BUTTON FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR sawmc MACHINE Filed Aug. 15. 1956 a Sheets-Sheet 1 wmhm m "G" o 'd' ENT g 2 a w. 0:

BRODERSON ATTORNEY 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR NEIL O. BRODERSON ATTORNEY April 5, 1960 N. o. BRODERSON BUTTON FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13. 1956 April 1960 N. o. BRODERSON 2,931,327

BUTTON FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 58 & F .3.

INVENTOR NEIL o. BRODERSON BY 4 TAM ATTORNEY April 5, 1960 N. o. BRODERSON 2,931,327

BUTTON FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig-5 i INVENTOR NEIL O. BRODERSON BY /w/7 ATTORNEY April 5, 1960 N. o. BRODERSON 2,931,327

BUTTON FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR sawmc MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 13, 1956 INVENTOR NEIL O. BRODERSON BY A MZM ATTORNEY April 5, 1960 N. O. BRODERSON BUTTON FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 l I so I 54 5e" 48 I F% j J 5e e4 24 22 L V/// R I: 5.. JD.

INVENTOR NEIL O. BRODERSON ATTORNEY United States Patent BU'I'ION FEEDING A'ITACHNIENT FOR SEWING MACHINE Neil 0. Broderson, Rochester,-N.Y., assignor to Speed- Feed Machine Corp., a corporation of New York Application August 13, 1956, Serial No. 603,698

2 Claims. (Cl. 112-113) The present invention relates to a button feeding device for use with a button sewing machine and more particularly and specifically to an automatic button sorting and feeding apparatus for attachment to and cooperative use with a shank button type sewing machine.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a new and useful apparatus which takes the form of a button feeding attachment for a button sewing machine wherein shank type buttons are automatically, serially fed and held in sewing position relative to the needle of the sewing machine.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a button feeding apparatus which automatically sorts buttons fed into a hopper at random and feeds or delivers buttons serially into a sewing position relative to the sewing machine to which the apparatus is attached wherein the operation of the button feeding apparatus is accomplished through the power supply and movement of the sewing machine without requirement for additional power or operating means for the feeding and conveying apparatus.

A further and important object of this invention is to provide a shank type button sorting and feeding attachment for a sewing machine wherein shank type buttons delivered to a hopper portion of the apparatus are automatically sorted and delivered to a point adjacent the work holding means and needle of the sewing machine by vibratory movement of the feeding apparatus induced by reason of its direct attachment to the sewing machine and wherein each button is individually serially placed and retained in proper relationship to the sewing parts of the machine through a cam feeding member associated with the button feeding apparatus operated by normal, sequential movements of the sewing machine to which it-is attached.

It is another and important object of this invention to provide a button sorting and feeding attachment for a button sewing machine which is of extremely simple and inexpensive design and construction providing an initial low cost sewing machine attachment which is inexpensively maintained without incurring operating or repair costs.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a button sorting and feeding attachment for use with a button sewing machine which is substantially universally adaptable for attachment and coordinated operation with any of the several standard makes of button sewing machines now available.

Still other objects and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art when the following general statement and description are read in the light of the accompanying drawings.

The nature of the present invention may be stated generally as consisting of a button feeding attachment for a button sewing machine, which attachment takes the form of a substantially horizontal, elevated hopper for the reception of buttons, a gate outlet for said hopper in the form of templet openings simulating said button configlice urations, an inclined feeding track extending from said templet gate to a point adjacent the sewing needle of the sewing machine, and cam means operably engaging a moving part of said sewing machine for serially moving said buttons from said track into a sewing position relative to said needle.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the button feeding appartus attached to a button sewing machine;

Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation looking in the direction of the needle of the machine with the presser foot in a depressed position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the presser foot in an elevated position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the button feeding device;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 5

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 with parts broken away in vertical section for clearer illustration;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation with parts broken away vertically for clearer illustration showing the needle in one sewing position;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing the needle in a second sewing position;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating the button attached to a fabric resulting from operation of the machine; and

Fig. 12 is a perpendicular view of the construction illustrated in Fig. 11.

The present invention which comprises a button feeding attachment for a shank type button sewing machine is illustrated and described hereinafter in combination with a sewing machine of the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 1,036,603, issued to G. S. Gatchell, August 27, 1912, which machine is of the type wherein the work holder beneath the sewing needle of the machine is caused to automatically reciprocate lengthwise of the machine to provide for loop formation of the sewing thread through the fabric and a buttonto be sewn thereto.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and in particular to Fig. 1 therein, there is shown a sewing machine, generally designated at 10, which includes a supporting base 12 from which is projected horizontally a work supporting arm 14 which carries at one end thereof a standard 16 which in turn supports the usual drive shaft housing 18 horizontally above the work support arm 14 The extended end of the drive shaft housing 18 carries enclosed therein and projecting downwardly therefrom a needle bar 20 which is reciprocated relative to the work support 22 carried on the extended end of the work support arm 14' by means of the usual cam drive mechanism driven from the cam shaft of the machine.

Supported lengthwise of the upper face of the work support arm 14 is a slide bar 24 which carries the work support means 22 on the upper face thereof on its outwardly extended end and which is connected at its innermost end toward the standard 16 to the lower end of an arm 26. The arm 26 is substantially vertically disposed within a semi-tubular housing 28 the upper end of which is secured to a shaft 30. The other end of shaft 30 is connected to one end of an arm 32, the second extended end of which carries a cam roller 34 mounted within :1 cam track 36 in a wheel 38 rotatably mounted on anaxle' 40 within the standard 16" of the machine, which axle'is1 driven from the power means of the sewing machine.

The arm 26carries a block 42 which is adjustablysecured longitudinally of the arm 26 by means of a thumb screw 44. The block 42 is frictionally secured vertically --w1thm the semi-tubular housing 28 to permit its adjustment vertically therein and vertically relative to saidarm 26. The adjustment of the block-42 within thesemitubular housing variesthe effective length of the strokeof the lowermost end of the arm 26linduced by the oscillation of the wheel carrying end of the arm 32 due to alternately arranged offset portions 46 in the track 36 in which the cam wheel 38 rolls. This alternate reciprocal 'movementlof the lower end of the arm 26 causes reciprocation of the slide bar 24 lengthwise of the top face of through a button orienting and positioning gate 72.

Where desired, a vibration dampening and support mem- 'ber 74 is engaged beneath the projected end of the hopthe work support arm 14, thereby producing reciprocal movement of the work support member 22 secured thereon relative to the sewing needle 48 positioned substantially vertically thereabove in the needle bar 20.

In addition to the foregoing apparatus which provides for the reciprocal movement of the work holding means 22 relative to the vertical alignment of the sewing needle '48, the sewing machine is additionallyprovided with a block member 50 secured by bolt means 52 to the slide bar 24 at a point thereon remote to the work holding means and adjacent the standardmember of the machine.

The block 50 in turn supports an elongated arm 54 which extends in horizontal spaced relationship above the slide bar 24 in the direction of the work holding means and which carries on the extended end thereof an arm 56.

Associated with the arm 54 is a flat spring member 58' 56 is providedwith a vertically downwardly extending portion 56' at the extended end portion thereof and a rearwardly and upwardly extending portion 56". 'The lift rod 57 extends vertically through the head portion of the machine and has operable connection'with a rocker arm 58 mounted along the upper shaft housing of the machine which arm in turn is operably connected to the power means of the sewing machine or to a foot pedal, whereby the sewing machine operator may lift the presser foot.

The lower end of the lift rod 57 is attached to a bracket 59 which engages the under surface of an invented L-shaped pin 60 secured to the bracket 56 whereby when the rocker arm 58 causes the lift rod 57 to be raised or lowered, the arms 56 and 54 are likewise pivoted upwardly or downwardly about the block 50.

By the foregoing construction the reciprocal movement of the slide bar 24, as hereinbefore described, will cause simultaneous reciprocal movement of the block 50 therewith which in turn induces like reciprocation of the arm 54 supported from the block 50 causing oscillation or reciprocal movement of the work supporting means 22. At the same time, the foot portion of the L-shaped rod 60 will slide relative to the bracket 59 carried by the lift rod 57, maintaining constant vertical contact between these elements at all times.

The button feeding device constituting the present invention in combination with a sewing machine of the type hereinbefore described consists generally of a vertically inclined arm member 69 having attachment at its lowermost end to the bracket portion 56" at the rear and to the presser foot member 62 carried by the bracket 56' at the front. The arm member 69 supports from its upper and outermost end a tray type button hopper 70. The arm 69 is provided with a button channel 71 therein which extends from the lowermost end adjacent the presser foot 62 t0 mm n cate with the hopper 7t;

per 70 and has its second end supported on a work surface or support surface as at 76. The extended upper end portion of the vibration dampening member 74 which is adapted for engagement of the bottom of the hopper 70 may be formed of a yieldable material such as rubber for example. Thereby it will be appreciated that the vibration dampening means 74 is disposed in frictional engagement with the hopper 70 whereby the vibration of the hopper may be regulated. P 7 t i In more particular detail, the arm 69 consists of a pair of plates 78 and 80 (as best seen in Figs.- 1, 4 and 8) which are secured by nut and bolt members '82 carrying spacer elements 83 intermediate the plates in parallel spaced relationship. The lowermost end of the plate 78 is provided with a substantially horizontal projecting resilient toe portion 84 which projects beyond the plate 80 and spacer elements 83, so that the toe portion 84 lies in side by side relationship to the outer vertical face of the member 62, as more clearly shown in Figs. 5, 9 and 10. With this arrangement of parts the buttons when in the sewing position are held with the outer face thereof against said face of the pressure member 62 by the resilience of the toe portion or spring fingers 84 of the plate 74. The remaining length of the front and back plates 78 and 80 turn upwardly and outwardly into an elongated central portion 86 which is provided at its extreme upper end with a vertically extending portion 88. As described above, the lower end of the plate 80 is positioned as a continuation of presser foot member 62 with the bracket 56 interconnecting the presser foot 62 with the lower end of plate 80 thus disposing the toe portion of the plate 78 substantially vertically aligned between the sewing needle 48 and the work support 22 on the work holding support arm 14.

The plate 78 of the arm 69 is uous slot 90 opening through the we end of the plate, where it defines spaced end fingers 84, and extending substantially centrally thereof outwardlyand upwardly to communicate with an enlarged slotted area 92 immediately adjacent the upper end of the platerand opening therethrough. The slot 90 is of such configuration as to frictionally engage the projected shank port1ons94 of the buttons 96 which are slidably introduced into the button channel 71 defined between the spaced plates 78 and 80.

The shanks of the buttons as shown for example in Fi shanks may be cut away or are always delivered down the slot 90 ment relative to the needle. I

The upper outermost end of the plate 80,, as seennn Fig. 8, is turnd outwardly and rearwardly of the machine at substantially right angles to form a substantially horit latform 98. zon al p tray 70 consists of a botto The button hopper or member 100 secured on the upper face of the platform 98 to extend in a slightly inclined position outwardly and upwardly therefrom. Vertically upstanding side walls 102 are provided about three sides of the tray bottom 100 with the open side thereof overlying the pro ecting portion of the bottom 100 which is secured upon platform 98; The tray or hopper is divided intermediately by an upstanding partition wall 104 in which is formed ad acent one end thereof an opening 106 permitting the passage of buttons from one side of the wall 104 therethrough 1n the direction of the open side of the tray above the platform 98. The open side of the tray is provided with a button orlenting and positioning gate 72 which takes the form of an upstanding wall in which is provided a Se11S Of opemngs 108. The openings are of'a configuration shghtly larger than and conforming to the size and shape of the buttons to be fed into the sewing machine. The opemngs 108 provided with a continare provided with flat sides g. 2 of the drawings or the frazed so that the buttons in proper alignare positioned to permit the passage of buttons therethrough with the shank portions thereof upwardly disposed in to the funnel portion formed by plates 91 secured to the bottom 180 of the tray 7%, to provide for proper positioning of the buttons in the channel 71 with the shanks thereof in projected position outwar iv through the slot 94 in the plate 78 of the feeding arm 69.

The projected portion of the button tray where it overlies platform 98 is provided with a cover plate 110 which prevents buttons from being displaced or rearranged in their passage from the gate 72 to the button feeding channel, and likewise a vertical cover plate 112 secured to the upper end of plate 78 and having the upper end thereof turned inwardly forms a continuation of cover plate 119 immediately adjacent the angular bend between plate 53";- and platform 98.

The vibration dampening support member 74 consists of two elongated tubes 114 and 115, telescoped one within the other with the upper inner tube slidably mounted in the lower tube which has a flanged bottom support 76 for attachment to a supporting surface. The upper inner tube is provided with a resilient cylinder member 116. The projected rubber cylinder 116 is engaged beneath the bottom wall 100 of the hopper tray and the vertical tension th reon is adjusted by thumb screw 115 for the purpose of controlling the amount of vibration of the tray from the sewing machine movement to provide the proper agitation and movement of the buttons in the tray into and through the orienting and positioning gate 72.

Lastly, a pivoted lever or bell crank 120 is pivotally secured as at 122 in its apex portion to a plate 124 on the sewing head portion of the machine above and to the side of the presser foot with one leg of the lever terminating in a pointed end 126 adjacent the outer face of the plate 78 in the toe portion 84 f the button feeding arm. The second end of the bell crank arm 120 is connected by means of a coil spring 128 to a fixed plate 130 on the side of the sewing machine which normally retains the crank in a retracted position as shown in Fig. 2.

That edge of the downwardly projecting arm of the crank disposed toward the upwardly and outwardly inclined arm 69 is provided with a cam surface 132 which cam surface engages a cam pin 134 secured in the outer face of the plate 73 to ride therealong during the vertical movement of the button feeding device.

Operation In operation of the button feeding attachment in combination with or in attachment to a sewing machine of the type described, shank type buttons are placed in the outer region of the hopper or button tray whereupon the vibration of the feeding attachment by reason of its rigid connection to the reciprocating elements of the sewing machine will cause the buttons to move through the opening 196 in the partition wall 104 of the tray into communication with the positioning and orienting gate 72 which will permit the buttons, in proper position only, to enter the button feeding channel between the spaced plates 78 and 60 with the shank portions thereof projecting outwardly through and being guided by the slot 9! By such button movement buttons will be caused to stack in the slot 71 (Figs. 2 and 3) with the first button entering the slot retained between fingers 89 in the toe portion 8d of the spaced plates and with the shank of the button disposed above the work support 22 and below the sewing needle 48 with the eye of the shank being vertically disposed in that position.

With the presser foot and feeding device in its depressed sewing position (Fig. 2) the button shank is held directly on the work holder 22 (Fig. 9) in contact with a fabric 64 previously inserted beneath the needle and the presser root member with the eye of the shank directly above the usual cutout needle passage in the work support member 22. Cycled operation of the sewing machine will then cause reciprocation of the needle downwardly through the shank eye of the button, the work support, the fabric and into the bobbin chamber of the machine as illustrated in Fig. 9. With a subsequent endwise or lengthwise reciprocation of the work support upon raising of the needle to permit alternate vertical passage of the needle externally of the shank (Fig. 10) thereby causing a looping of the thread through the fabric and the eye of the shank to secure the button to the fabric in the manner illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 of the drawings.

Following the timed interval of the sewing operation for a shank button the lift arm 57 will be elevated by rocker arm id to raise the presser foot 62 and the button feeding device (Fig. 3) whereupon the cam action of the bell crank on the pin 13 i wfll cause the pointed extremity 126 of the bell arm to engage behind the shank of the next button in line in the slot 98 moving the same to the proper sewing position between fingers 89 in replacement of the button previously sewn. Upon release of the rocker arm 53, fiat spring 58 returns the presser foot and feeding device to a sewing position relative to the work support 22.

In accordance with the fore oing it is seen that a completely automatic button feeding device has been provided for the automatic sorting, orienting and feeding of buttons to a button sewing position of a button type sewing machine which serves to perform a new and useful function at a minimum of cost or operation maintenance.

V /hile the present invention has been described with relerence to sewing machines wherein the primary reciprocating movement of the Work support is lengthwise of the machine, the invention may also be employed on sewing machines wherein the work support reciprocates at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the machine. it is also apparent that a new and improved device and apparatus has been provided which fully accomplishes all of the objects and advantages heretofore set forth.

I claim:

1. In combination with a button sewing machine, a sewing machine bed, a work support means, means for reciprocating the work support means relative to the bed of the machine; a button feeding apparatus including an elongate rigid button guiding chute means having an upper and a lower end, said rigid chute means secured at its lower end to the reciprocating work support means of the sewing machine and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, and a button receiving hopper fixedly secured only to the upper end of said chute means and having communication therewith, said elongate rigid button guiding chute means providing the sole support for said hopper whereby the reciprocating movement of the work support means is transmitted through said chute means to said hopper to thereby efiectively cause buttons disposed in said hopper to move out of said hopper into and downwardly through said chute means.

2. The invention claimed in claim 1 wherein a vibration dampening means is disposed in frictional engagement with said hopper to effectively regulate the movement of said hopper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 545,218 Bernstein Aug. 27, 1895 690,329 Thomson Dec. 31, 1901 1,599,146 Ross Sept. 7, 1926 1,631,160 Ross June 7, 1927 1,903,268 Ross Mar. 28, 1933 2,265,576 Peterson Dec. 9, 1941 2,597,912 Troll May 27, 1952 2,661,709 Troll Dec. 8, 1953 2,768,594 Troll Oct. 30, 1956 2,803,204- Alfandre Aug. 20, 1957 2,881,949 Veilleux Apr. 14, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 200,737 Australia Jan. 11, 1956 

